EDMONTON – The Battle of Alberta, according to Bob Hartley, is on hold.

“We always hear about the rivalry,” the Calgary Flames coach said this morning. “But unless we’re playoff teams, I don’t put too much stock in the rivalry.”

Neither the Flames nor the Edmonton Oilers – sixth and seventh place in the Pacific Division, respectively – are holding down a post-season slot. But Hartley did point out that at least the potential is present for a new era in the provincial grudge.

“There’s unbelievable skill on both sides – especially young skill,” said Hartley. “We’ve been very fortunate to be able to get quality players, quality young players, who will be … stars and franchise players for many years to come.

“I think hockey in Alberta will do very good.”

The Flames are bracing for the locals’ attack.

The Oilers are not a very high-scoring club. Nevertheless …

“We really have to respect their speed and skill – probably one of the most dangerous teams off the rush,” said Hartley. “You look at their lineup – they have lots of players who can really make a difference offensively. We will have to be at our best.

“Yeah, he’s good to go,” said Hartley. “We had a pretty good feeling for the past two, three days. We just wanted to make sure. Medically, he was cleared.”

Here on Halloween, Frolik recorded his first goals as a member of the Flames – and his first career hat trick.

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RW Zack Kassian is making his home-ice debut for the Oilers.

He’d played Thursday in San Jose – “First couple shifts, it felt like I was sucking air through a straw” – but this is his first appearance for the Oilers on Rexall Place ice.

“More excitement than anything,” said Kassian. “Obviously, I have the first game under my belt. Most importantly, heading into this one, we want to get two points. The standings are really tight. That’s my main focus. I’m really excited for the opportunity.”

So this is his first stab at the Battle of Alberta.

“Obviously, it’s two teams fighting to get in the playoffs,” said Kassian. “Each point matters, especially at this time of the year. There’s going to be a lot of energy in the building, I’m guessing. These are always fun games to play.”

* Goals-for – Calgary: 10th (2.71), Edmonton: 25th (2.36)

* Goals-against – Calgary: 29th (3.05), Edmonton: 26th (2.93)

* Power play – Calgary: 30th (14.4), Edmonton: 25th (17.3)

* Penalty killing – Calgary: 30th (74.0), Edmonton: 21st (79.4)

FLAMES

Player to watch

Mikael Backlund – Three assists in past two games. Fourteen shots on goal in past three games. Coach Bob Hartley calls the centreman one of the most under-rated players in the NHL: “He does so many great things that go unnoticed … (by) fans and reporters. He’s playing the game at a great pace.”

Lines

* Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland

* Bennett-Backlund-Frolik

* Raymond-Granlund-Jones

* Bollig-Stajan-Jooris

Pairings

* Giordano-Brodie

* Russell-Hamilton

* Engelland-Wideman

Goalies

* Hiller

* Ramo

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Injuries

* Bouma (leg), Hudler (groin)

OILERS

Player to watch

Leon Draisaitl – Taken one draft slot ahead of Sam Bennett, the 20-year-old centre is producing at nearly a point-per-game clip. Only one goal and two assists over past eight dates, though. At Rexall Place, 22 points, including 16 helpers, in 18 appearances. Six points in five matches against Flames.

Lines

* Hall-NugentHopkins-Pakarinen

* Pouliot-Draisaitl-Eberle

* Purcell-Letestu-Kassian

* Korpikoski-Lander-Yakupov

Pairings

* Sekera-Fayne

* Nurse-Schultz

* Davidson-Gryba

Goalies

* Talbot

* Nilsson

Injuries

* Ference (hip), Klefbom (finger), McDavid (collarbone)

FIVE POINTS TO PONDER

1. BENNETT IN THE RACE?

Given his recent burst – five goals in five periods – it’s only natural to wonder: can Calgary rookie C Sam Bennett make a legitimate bid for the Calder Trophy? Time – only half a season – is not on the 19-year-old’s side, but here’s where he sits compared the rest of the NHL’s first-year stars … With 19 points, Bennett is sixth – 20 points behind the front-runner, Chicago LW Artemi Panarin … Ten goals stake him eighth, five behind Panarin … Bennett’s three power-play conversions are fifth most. Four youngsters have collected four apiece … His two game-winners is sixth. Detroit LW Dylan Larkin has four … At 14.7, he owns the sixth-best shooting percentage. Arizona LW Anthony Duclair, at 24.5, is tops … His average ice time, 15:04, is ninth among rookie forwards … With 73 hits, he trails only three others – Colorado LW Andreas Martinsen, Rangers C Oscar Lindberg, Edmonton RW Iiro Pakarinen … Bennett is seventh in takeaways … However, Flames brass is not concerned with year-end baubles. Everybody is happy to see Bennett get rewarded for diligence … “Well, first of all, you feel good for him, right?” said GM Brad Treliving. “(Wednesday) it went in the net for him – so good for him, good for us. As I told him, eventually he was going to score. But he’s doing a lot of other things.”

2. THE WHOLE SHOOTING MATCH

For the Flames, more than most teams in the NHL, it seems that shots matter … When they outshoot the opposition, their winning percentage (.684, 13-4-2) is the league’s third best. Only Washington (.750, 21-4-3) and Philadelphia (.706, 12-3-2) are finer in that department … But when the Flames are outshot? They’re hopeless. At .286 (6-15-0), they own the worst winning percentage. Philadelphia is similar to the Flames – second-best when outshooting, second-worst when outshot … At the other end of the spectrum is Dallas, which is somehow 16-2-2 (.800) when outshot … Overall this season, Calgary has outshot opponents 1,226-1,202 … Chicago has flung the most pucks on net, 1,434, while Anaheim has surrendered the fewest, 1,149 … The Flames average 29.2 shots per night, 18th most. They give up 28.6 – ninth-tidiest mark in the NHL … Topping the Flames in shots are LW Johnny Gaudreau (116), D Mark Giordano (104), C Sean Monahan (99), D Dougie Hamilton (88), C Mikael Backlund (77). Shooting percentage – Gaudreau (16.4), C Sam Bennett (14.7), RW David Jones (14.0), Monahan (13.1), RW Joe Colborne (10.2) … Calgary’s team save percentage, .894, is the league’s worst. At .927, Washington is tops … The Caps also own the best shooting percentage, 10.62. The Flames, at 9.30, are 10th. Worst? Anaheim at 6.30.

3. PACIFIC COAST

A season ago, the Flames owned the Pacific Division with a sunny record of 22-6-1. It was the best mark of any NHL club against its own division. Now? They’ve lost their way in intra-division squabbles, holding an inexplicable log of 4-8-1. They’ve lost four straight – all on home against – against friends from the Pacific. Saturday against Edmonton presents another opportunity to make hay … “They’re huge,” Flames coach Bob Hartley said of Pacific jousts. “That was basically our story last year. This year right now, because of how we started, we’ll have to bring a different recipe. The good part of this is, we’re right in the mix.” … By far, the class of the division is Arizona, 10-1-2, followed by Los Angeles (8-5-0), Anaheim (6-3-4), Vancouver (6-3-3), San Jose (6-4-1), Edmonton (5-7-3) – then Calgary. But Hartley isn’t setting his sights on the Pacific, specifically … “We need a big second half against divisional rivals – and against any other rivals,” he said. “Any other team that we’re going to play, they all wear NHL jerseys. So we have to be on the job. We know our challenge. It’s a very positive challenge with a huge reward at the end.” … Saturday, the Flames open a fresh seven-game segment. Results of their in-season “series” so far (in order) – 2-5-0, 2-4-1, 4-3-0, 4-2-1, 5-2-0, 3-4-0.

4. ABOUT THE OILERS

Thursday, the Oilers fell 2-1 in a shootout to the home-ice Sharks, thereby ruining coach Todd McLellan’s return to San Jose. After missing 22 games with a wonky ankle, RW Nail Yakupov returned – and scored – and RW Zack Kassian made his Oilers debut … In the NHL’s overall standings, the Flames are 26th, the Oilers 27th … Edmonton, with an average of 2.36, is 24th in goals-for. Calgary, 2.71, is 10th … Defensively, the Oilers are 26th. The Flames, coming off Wednesday’s shutout of Florida, have solidified 29th with a 3.05 GAA – Columbus, at 3.20, is entrenched at the bottom … The Flames’ power play, even with four man-advantage conversions over the last three contests, remains 30th, with 14.4 per cent efficiency. The Oilers are 26th … Too, the Flames are still 30th in penalty kill. The Oilers are 21st … LW Taylor Hall leads Edmonton in goals (16), assists (25), points (41) – good for ninth in the NHL scoring race … Against the Oilers, the Flames are 9-1-0 in the last 10. In Edmonton, they have won six straight, including 5-4 on Halloween. LW Michael Frolik’s hat trick, including the game-winner with only 8.7 seconds remaining in regulation, marked his first tallies for the Flames. “Obviously, the monkey was on the back,” Frolik said post-game. “When you score the first one, the pressure and the monkey go away.”

5. ODDS ’N’ ENDS

Talk about a hot hand. G Jonas Hiller, fresh off Wednesday night’s 6-0 shutout of the Florida Panthers, was the last player standing at the Flames Ambassadors celebrity poker tourney Thursday at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino. The annual showcase raised $410,000 for the Calgary Flames Foundation, and now $3.9 million over the event’s 11-year history. Overall victor – Curtis Stewart, who won a $10,000 championship ring, $5,000 cash, Flames tickets, flights, belt buckle, and a jersey. Rounding out the top three were Dave Billick and Jason Bissonnette … The Flames have earned a spot among the league’s top-producing blue lines. In order: Nashville (104 points), Dallas (103), Calgary (95), Washington (93), Chicago (92) … Thanks to C Sean Monahan’s recent run at the dot – he’s now 50.0 per cent (455-455) – the Flames are up to 27th in that department … For fights, the Flames and the Oilers are decidedly mid-pack, with 13 and 12 scraps, respectively. Busiest brawlers – Columbus (26), Anaheim (25), Philadelphia (20), San Jose (20), St. Louis (20). Snuggest mittens – Detroit, which has tussled three times … Calgary (7.6 penalty-minutes per night) and Edmonton (7.7) are among the least-penalized outfits. Buffalo, at 6.5, is the cleanest, while Columbus, at 13.2, absorbs the most infractions … C Derek Grant, with 16 goals and 24 points, tops AHL Stockton. Next with 21 points apiece are RW Freddie Hamilton and LW Kenny Agostino. G Joni Ortio – 7-8-0, 3.41 GAA, .892.

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